


The Key to My Heart

by Charmkeeper



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: ??? AU, But they aren't there so..., Cat, City Burrows, M/M, Money Doesn't Bring You Happiness Kind of Deal, People Bring You Happiness, Promptis - Freeform, Slice of Life, Sort Of, There are mentions of Ignis and Gladio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-03-09 15:18:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18919672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charmkeeper/pseuds/Charmkeeper
Summary: Prompto has lived in Little Accordo all his life, but never has he met someone as weird and ultimately as wonderful as Noctis... And Noctis' cat of course.





	The Key to My Heart

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY MONDAY!
> 
> Today is BossGosse's birthday! I didn't actually plan on writing something for today, but when I got hit by this, I decided I'd keep it for a bit, and give her something special to read on her day.
> 
> There's _probably_ a bit more swearing in here than is probably strictly considered okay for teenagers, but that's really the only thing, so I'm keeping it at the rating it is.
> 
> I hope she, and everyone else, including you, (YES. YOU.) enjoy reading this. <3

Prompto Argentum knew he would never leave his hometown.

It was the sort of knowledge that was both comforting and suffocating. His hometown wasn't really even a town, but a small burrow nestled inside the much, much bigger city of Insomnia. It was still called Little Accordo, even though it had been nearly a century since the people who resided here had been mostly Accordans. Nowadays it was simply a melting pot of poor people that was lucky to have a school and a MoogMart.

It was poor, run down, and everyone struggled to make a living, but there was a sense of community that Prompto had noted several times seemed to be lost if you walked even eight blocks in any direction. Everyone knew everyone else, and the nice thing about that was that if you were ever truly in need there was someone there to catch you. The women were the kind of women were going to stuff you full of casserole the moment you got in their orbit but also kick your ass if you talked back to them. The men were the kind who dreamed of being able to sit in their chairs and read the newspaper, or, more modernly play video games, without worry.

The problem was that it was a prison, in a way. Prompto knew he was hardly the only one who had dreams of more, but growing up in Little Accordo, or even ending up there for more than a few months in a hard time meant you were stuck. The two ways out of Little Accordo were as followed: You joined the crime rings of the larger burrows, which was usually a one way ticket to real prison in the end, or you went to college, which no one could afford and meant scholarships for the most lucky, or student loans that usually led right back to Little Accordo in the end when you couldn't pay them.

Little Accordo was a dead end that everyone both tried to make the best of and tried to dig themselves out of.

As far as Little Accordo went, Prompto knew he was lucky. He had a steady job at MoogMart, which paid decently for the area and offered cheap health insurance and a 401-K. He had never run off to college, knowing his likely fate. He had yet to father the seemingly prerequisite eight children with five different mothers that the other guys his age had somehow managed. Not that Prompto didn't love kids. He totally loved kids. But. You know. As much as Prompto couldn't truly say he hated his life, he wanted any child he had to have something better. Something more to look forward to. Wasn't that what a parent was supposed to want?

So here Prompto was, lucky, all things considered. He was employed, he had a two bedroom apartment in what was probably the best apartment building in Little Accordo, he was healthy, and he had no attachments. No significant other, no children, not even a dog or a goldfish. He was trapped, never going to leave, but it could be so much worse. He would take living here over the areas with the crime rings, the ridiculous competition, and the judgement. He had dreams, but, here, people learned early on that Disney movies were just that - movies, and this was real life for most.

Most days, weeks, months, years, went by in a sort of monotony. The most excitement in one's life was the announcement of a wedding or the birth of a child. The most drama you heard about was the rather loud breakup two floors down, or the eventual move between apartments or buildings that, yes, everyone already knew all about. So, when Prompto woke up one Saturday morning to what sounded like a herd of elephants running up and down the stairs, it was a complete shock. At the tender age of twenty-five, Prompto was pretty sure his heart was too weak for this.

Bleary eyed and still in his bed clothes he wandered off to the door to see what all the commotion was about. He opened the door to find the frame of a bed being carried in front of him, off toward the next flight of stairs. Someone was moving in.

"Hey." Prompto's attention was brought to the right, where a man leaned up against the wall. Even at a glance it was clear that this man did not belong around here. His clothes were simply too nice, and his hair was somewhere between too styled and not styled enough. Said hair was black and tired deep blue eyes stared at him with a gaze that wasn't judging Prompto, not the same way Prompto was instantly judging him. In his hand was a lit cigarette that perfect lips took a draft from before he said. "Did we wake you? Sorry."

"It's...okay." Prompto rubbed his neck, feeling the urge to roll his shoulders and feel them pop. "You moving in?"

"Yeah. Into the penthouse."

The surprise made Prompto feel like the floor had dropped out beneath his feet. "That...that place has been empty for like fifteen years."

"Yeah," the fancy guy agreed with a nervous chuckle between puffs. "It's dusty as fuck up there, but I'll deal." A mover ran by with a box that seemed almost as big as he was. He almost dropped it twice. The guy didn't even seem to notice or care. Prompto hoped there was nothing important inside. "But we're gonna be neighbors, yeah? I mean, I'm only gonna be here for like six months, but I hope we get along." His smile was easy and genuine, the kind of smile that people who didn't have a lot of strife smiled on T.V. "I'm Noctis."

"Prompto."

"Cool. Oh!" Noctis fumbled into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. "Rude of me. Want one?"

His hand covered the brand name, but the visible parts of the logo marked it as being from a brand Prompto had never even seen at MoogMart before, and for the area, they were pretty much the place with the best variety. "I...don't think you're gonna be able to buy more of those around here." He'd probably have to get to inner city, and that was a pain. Of course, this guy probably actually had a car. Maybe not so much of a pain.

"That's fine. Specs has been after me to quit again anyway. Maybe that'll be good motivation."

"Specs?"

"He's a friend. You know. The cliche childhood variety friend. He's the cool collected water to my wild child fire and all that." Noctis chuckled, and Prompto smiled. It must be nice, to have old friends you were still close to. Prompto knew everyone in the whole burrow it felt like, but he didn't feel like there was anyone he belonged with, not like that. "Anyway. Want one?" Noctis shook the pack a little. In return Prompto shook his head a little.

"I don't smoke."

Instantly, the pack of cigarettes disappeared back into his pocket. "Cool. Don't start. It's a pain in the fucking ass." Noctis took another drag from his cigarette and then put it out on the bottom of his shoe. His red bottomed, Louboutin shoe. His red bottomed, Louboutin shoe that probably cost more than Prompto had spent on all the clothes he'd ever had in his entire life combined. "I should probably get up there so they don't set my bed up in the dining room."

Prompto snorted with laughter. "Yeah, probably."

"I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure."

"Thanks for talking with me." Before Prompto could say anything else, Noctis was gone up the stairs with a wave of his hand behind him. It left Prompto feeling a little like he'd been blindsided by a truck. Noctis seemed crazy out there and completely normal at the same time. It was just so odd that Prompto didn't know what do to with it, so he went back into his apartment and tried to sleep through the sounds of movers taking things up to the penthouse.

Naturally, news that a man had moved into the penthouse spread all across Little Accordo within hours. By the time Prompto was heading out to walk to MoogMart, he heard whispers about it everywhere. The rumors ranged from wild and crazy to bland, and Prompto tried to ignore all of them. Who could know if Noctis had been disowned by his father and he'd moved to the city version of the middle of nowhere to ride it out. Who knew if he was surveying land for his billionaire mother who planned to level Little Accordo and turn it into a parking lot? All Prompto knew was that the man he'd met his this morning wore Louboutin shoes, smoked, and had a friend who wanted him to quit smoking.

For a little while smoking and fashion choices were about as much as anyone factually knew, but that didn't stop the gossip, and that didn't stop people from talking to him. Prompto kept his distance, if only because he didn't want to come across as too curious or nosy, but it seemed like no one else had that problem. Noctis came and from from his penthouse several times a day, and every single time Prompto seemed to cross paths with him someone else was on his heels asking this or that in an overly friendly way that made Prompto cringe. Noctis himself never seemed very comfortable either, with his shoulders always shrugged up against his neck, boots moving quickly across the old wooden floors.

Why did they have to crowd the guy? Prompto didn't think it was fair. He'd just moved in. Give him some space to settle first. What was the big deal?

It was over a week before Prompto actually talked to Noctis again, and it wasn't because he tried to crowd his space. No, instead it was because Noctis ended up in his line at MoogMart just before the end of his shift one night. The outfit was different, not quite so obviously rich. Jeans and a plain t-shirt, with a baseball cap tucked under one arm. "Nicorette and patches?"

"I dunno," Noctis sighed. "I'm feeling the burn and Specs is being," he huffed, "Unhelpful."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Like. I." Noctis fished in his pocket and pulled out a top of the line phone that he unlocked with his fingerprint. Like a spy from a movie. "Here." He said, offering it to Prompto. "You'll see."

It was a little weird, reading a guy's personal texts, but Prompto had no one else in line and he was due to leave in like ten minutes, so he took it. It turned out that Specs' real name was Ignis, and the little picture that showed up by each of his texts was of a man who wore glasses, and was, in every way, different looking from Noctis. He scrolled through the conversation.

 **Noctis** : _I need help._  
**Ignis** : _You've started the withdrawal symptoms, I assume._  
**Noctis** : _Yes! It's killing me!_

Prompto snorted to see that Ignis' next reply was the _"Then Perish"_ meme.

 **Noctis** : _Seriously. Halp._  
**Ignis** : _I suppose that if it's really that unbearable you might try some patches or gum. Both if neither helps alone._  
**Noctis** : _And if that fails?_

The next reply was the _"Guess I'll die"_ meme, only the "I'll" was scribbled out and replaced with "You'll." It tugged another smile to Prompto's lips.

 **Noctis** : _I am going to tell Gladio how mean you are._  
**Ignis** : _Such a shame. He already knows._

And that was here it ended. "So," Prompto began as he handed the phone back over. "Is Ignis like a memelord?"

"Ugh. _Yes_. The memeiest memelord to ever meme. More like memeking." Noctis rolled his eyes up to the ceiling as he groaned over it. "But see! Totally unhelpful."

Prompto shook his head, biting back a laugh. "Nah. Totally helpful. Patches and gum are probably the way to go, unless you plan on getting like, I-D-K. Professional help?"

"No. Nope. No professional help. Patches and gum it is."

"Your lungs will thank you."

"The rest of me really hates it though." Noctis paid for both the gum and the patches, and Prompto was left feeling a little lighter. MoogMart could be really draining, but Noctis had made his day a little better.

Though Prompto wanted to ask Noctis if the gum and patches were helping, every time he saw Noctis after that he seemed to be occupied by someone else. It wasn't the overly friendly thing that he'd seen before anymore, it had escalated into flirtation. The ugly, obvious, cringe-worthy kind of flirting that Prompto couldn't even look directly at. It wasn't just girls either, though sometimes small groups of them gathered, fawning over him as poor Noctis just seemed to want to get out the door. It was guys too, guys who were like, straighter than a ruler. A couple of times Prompto even had to button his lip when he saw people that he knew were already in a relationship asking him out.

At first, the flirting was as lost on Prompto as the overly desperate attempts at friendship, but finally, nearly a month later, it sunk in after he watched a guy with a cheap-tier bouquet of flowers from MoogMart try to ask Noctis out to dinner.

"Not interested. Sorry."

"Just. Think about it."

The bouquet was pressed into Noct's hands and the guy left Noctis standing by the stairwell, frowning before he turned, and their eyes met. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Noctis gave a wan smile. His fingers pulled a purple carnation out of the bouquet as he walked up to Prompto, and then he tucked it behind his ear. "Thanks."

"For what?"

"Not being an asshole who thinks I'm gonna be their meal ticket." Without saying anything else Noctis disappeared up to his penthouse, and Prompto was left with sad truth he hadn't realized. Noctis was rich. Of course he'd known that the moment he'd moved in, but for him, it was just been a fact. Noctis was Noctis. He was trying to quit smoking, and he was rich enough to live in the penthouse and know for a fact that he'd be out of here in six months. Well. Four and a half months now. Everyone else, Prompto realized as he plucked the carnation from his hair, saw all that too, but now he realized that they also saw _"And he can take me with him."_ They didn't love Noctis, though he was definitely easy on the eyes and that probably helped. It was just as Noctis had said. He was a meal ticket out of Little Accordo, and everyone wanted to punch it.

How sad, Prompto thought. How lonely.

He put the carnation in a glass with some water and left it, knowing there was nothing he could do for Noctis without seeming like he was just like everyone else. It didn't matter what in his chest there really was a quickening of his heart when their eyes met. He wouldn't bother Noctis, but the carnation was nice.

The carnation was dead and gone a week later when Prompto came down the stairs to find nearly everyone in the building gathered around the notice board. "What's going on?" No one answered him, and so he was forced to push his way through other people to the front of the crowd. In among all the babysitting and dog walking job ads, there was a new flyer. It was clearly professionally done, and embossed so that it was shiny and catchy to the eye.

It read:

_To Those Who May Be Interested,_

_As you may or may not be aware, I have a cat. In light of recent events, I have decided I have too many suitors to choose from, and that my cat, who is clearly much better at choosing than I am, will choose for me. To his collar, I have added a spare key to my penthouse. The person who manages to remove the key from his collar and simply walks into my penthouse will become my future wife or husband. End of story. No questions asked._

_To those of you wondering; no, I don't accept constructive criticism._

_Good Luck,_  
_Noctis Caelum_

Beneath the note was a picture of his cat. Prompto had never seen the cat before, but they said that pets and owners tended to resemble one another, and the cat in the picture definitely resembled Noctis. It was a pure inky black, the kind that you could draw by just sort of making a cat shape and adding eyes. Its fur was fluffy, but not too long, and its eyes were blue, just like its owner. Prompto wanted to cuddle it. Not for the key around its neck, but just because it as cute, and, well, Prompto had a weakness for animals.

Nearly as soon as he'd read it, someone pushed him out of the way, and Prompto continued out for his run. It didn't really matter though, because the flyer could be found almost anywhere in Little Accordo. When Prompto went to work that afternoon, he even found it on the community board in the back rooms. Each time he saw it, all Prompto wanted to do was cuddle it, but, as he found out within a the next day or so, no one else had that idea in mind.

Though Prompto, and no one else it seemed, had ever seen the cat in person before, now it could be found almost everywhere, and everyone was trying to catch it. At first it was simple, they saw the cat, they gave chase. Prompto could have told all of them that chasing the cat wasn't going to work. Cats were ambush hunters after all. They ran, they ran faster than the average human bean. They hid better than any human bean. There was no way that just trying to run the cat down was going to work. It didn't, and within a couple of days, those attempting the challenge turned to other methods.

Prompto took to sitting on the front stairs of the apartment building to watch. At first the more "clever" methods of cat wrangling involved lures and almost comically cliche nearly _Looney Tunes_ contraptions. Every time, the cat took the bait. Every time the cat also didn't get caught in the trap. Speaking of _Looney Tunes_ it was very much like watching an episode of Wile E. Coyote and the Roadrunner. No matter how many Acme products the Coyote bought, the Roadrunner always got away, and so did this cat.

The comical traps eventually escalated into professional cages that cost a pretty penny around here. That was worrying. After that, came the baseball bats, and then Prompto couldn't watch anymore. He refused to watch a cat get killed just because his neighbors wanted a superficial, money based marriage. He went back inside and played King's Knight in bed, trying not to think about how the very cuddly looking cat might be dead in the morning.

Every other Thursday was payday. Prompto tried to not spend a lot of frivolous money, and tried not to eat a ton of junk, but on payday he always allowed himself to buy a little bit of a special meal. On this payday, he'd decided that he had a taste for fish and chips, so he'd gone to the place on Fifth that was both cheap and delicious, and had his mouth watering the whole way home. He was literally unlocking his front door when he heard the soft mew. When he turned, the cat, ball of black fuzz and eyes that it was, was sitting about ten feet away.

It mewed at him again. "Awww, buddy, what do you want? Is Noctis not home to let you in?" Another mewl, though definitely longer and more pathetic sounding this time, and Prompto realized he had something almost every cat loved. He had fish. "Does somebody want fish?" This miaow was much more affirmative and strong, and Prompto laughed. Of course it did. "Okay, hold on." The paper bag in his arms crinkled loudly as he dug inside, and Prompto honestly expected to hear other people coming up to their apartments any moment, but he tore off half a piece of his fish anyway and sat it down a couple steps away from him. "There you go, buddy."

Slowly the cat approached, eyes always on Prompto, before it knelt down and took the piece of fish, comically giant in its mouth, and bolted up the stairs with its prize, happy little mews emanating from its mouth, muffled by the fish. Prompto laughed. Yeah, it was less fish for him, but it was totally worth it to see how happy Noctis' cat was. Still, that didn't stop him from stopping Noctis the next time he saw him.

"Hey!"

Noctis stopped, his head turning, those beautiful eyes meeting his own. "Hey? What's up?"

"It's your cat." He was going to do this. He was going to scold Noctis for cat neglect!

Noctis frowned. "What about him?"

"You need to feed him. I gave him fish the other day and he took it like he hadn't eaten in days."

Noctis laughed at him. It wasn't a mean laugh, but amused. He even moved one hand up to cover his mouth while he did it, and dammit if that wasn't adorable. "Don't let him fool you, Prompto. He gets lots of food and treats every day. Your fish just smelled delicious."

Prompto puffed up, feeling like his pride had been pricked with a needle and he was slowly deflating. "And people are chasing your cat with baseball bats!"

"I know."

"You. Know?! He's gonna get killed!"

There was no laugh this time, but Noctis did smile. It wasn't the kindest of smiles. "Don't worry. I trust my cat. Nothing bad will happen to him."

"How can you be so sure?!"

"I just am."

Prompto rubbed his face with his hands, unsure of whether to feel that Noctis was a fool for thinking the cat would win forever or whether he was impressed that he had that much trust in his cat. I mean, it was just a cat! A smart cat, sure, but a cat! Either way, for now, he should let it go. "What even is your cat's name?"

Noctis hummed at him, head cocked to one side, his grin nothing but vicious. "You let me know when you figure it out." Before Prompto could even ask what the fuck that was supposed to mean, Noctis was gone and up the stairs, leaving Prompto feeling utterly confused.

Despite his comment that the cat was fed and fine, Prompto gave the cat a bowl of milk the next time he saw it. To ensure the cat's safety, Prompto knelt down a few feet away, watching its cute, little, pink tongue lap at the milk repeatedly. He resisted the urge to baby talk at it, if only because he was afraid of startling the cat off. It truly was adorable and fluffy. He just wanted to dig his hands into that fur and hear its little purrs. Unfortunately everyone else was only interested in the key that dangled from its neck. So unfair. Poor kitty.

The cat ran off when the bowl was empty, and Prompto's hands were left woefully empty of warm black fur. Still, that seemed to cement something between Prompto and the cat, and soon, almost every day he was giving up something to the cat. Most days it was a bit of milk, because milk was fairly cheap, and it meant that the cat had to stick around for Prompto to watch. On days he got something out to eat he gave the cat a little of that, sometimes it was a pepperoni from his pizza, sometimes a french fry. Always something. Before he knew it, it had been two months since he'd started giving the cat its daily treat, and he had splurged just a little (could five dollars really be considered a splurge?) and gotten the cat a present.

It was small, red and round, with feathers on one end, and to Prompto's nose it smelled faintly of mint. (Wasn't catnip a mint?) He couldn't wait to give it to his buddy, and he didn't have to wait long. He was once again just getting out his keys to unlock his door when he heard the cat's adorable miaow. "Hey, buddy!" He greeted, turning around and digging into his shopping bag. "I got something for you!" He had to pull it off its cardboard backing, but then he was offering it to the cat with the tried and true little _tch-tch-tch_ sounds he made with his tongue. His heart leaped in his chest when the cat came to him and, gently, oh so gently, pulled the toy from his fingers.

Watching the cat play was worth at least ten times the five dollars he'd spent. It leaped around, attacking the feathered ball from all angles, sped back and forth across the hallway, and ended up on its back trying to rip out the toy's guts with his hind legs before it seemed to just collapse right there, exhausted. Fucking adorable.

Prompto got simple joy from just watching for a moment before he had a devious idea. It was right there. Laying on its back. Tummy exposed. Fluffy belly fur exposed. He was going to try and touch it. He took his time, creeping forward, until that glorious belly was within arm's reach. He went for it, and omigod. It was so worth it. It was even softer than he'd ever imagined. The cat however, stiffened up, "Shh!" he said quickly, hoping that it would relax and not take this gloriousness away from him too quickly. "I'm just petting. No key. No collar. Just tum." He doubted the words got through, or that the cat even really knew what he was after, but it relaxed a little, and then, to Prompto's eternal delight, stretched out, giving him even more space to rub. Yes. Yessssss.

It was over too quickly. The moment Prompto heard someone else coming up the stairs the cat was up, ball in its mouth, and running away at top speed.

Still worth it.

The gift of the ball changed nothing, except that now, along with a spare french fry, or whatever else he was able to give, he was now allowed to give the cat a pet. Just one. That was a thousand times more pets than he had previously been allowed, and Prompto definitely couldn't say he complained. Maybe, he thought, if he got fish and chips again, and he gave the cat half, he could be allowed more pets. On his next payday, he went for it. He bought extra fish, and extra chips, and he was going to share his meal with the cat.

It wasn't to go quite as planned.

He was still walking up the stairs when the cat bolted past him and all the way up to his door. Its tail was up in the air, not moving at all as it stood up on its hind legs and pawed at his door. His door. The cat was asking for entry into his apartment. "What's going on, buddy?" The cat miaowed loudly at him, and then Prompto heard it.

 _"I swear I saw it go this way!"_ The voice was muffled, but clear and accompanied by the sounds of boots on the stairs. Shit. They were hunting the cat. The cat had come to him for help. It would be touching, if it weren't so terrifying.

Clumsily, he fumbled his keys out of his pocket and unlocked his door as quietly as he could. With a small click he swung it open and the cat barged inside without any real invitation, and, considering that the sound of boots was getting closer, that was just fine with Prompto. He shut and locked the door behind him. Inside, the cat jaunted around, its tail still high, but relaxed a bit into that adorable little question mark shape.

Prompto waited at the door, ear all but pressed against it as he listened. The sound of boots and angry words created a racket that a couple months ago would have earned them a call to the landlord, but today was only going to get a roll of their eyes from anyone else in their apartment building. Everyone knew the hunt for the cat's key was still going on, and though the competition had caused quite the stir at first, right down to some screaming matches between old couples were splitting up because one of them thought they were going to get the key, that had now died down somewhat, and only the real die hards for it were still going. Unfortunately, those were the ones with the bats, who thought that killing someone's beloved cat was a good way to start a marriage. There were less than two months left. Thought they didn't really know each other well, Prompto would miss Noctis, and he would definitely miss this cat. He would definitely spend time making sure nothing happened to it.

When the sound of boots had disappeared back down the stairs, Prompto let out the breath he'd been holding and turned back around to the cat, who had jumped up by his T.V. "You want some fish, buddy?"

"Mroaw?"

That sounded excited. He set them up on the small table he had between his couch and his T.V. making sure to move his controller out of the way. Surprisingly, the cat was patient. It waited at the corner of the table, tail swishing back and forth excitedly as he broke apart a piece of fish into bites he thought the cat could manage before he slid the paper plate over to it. Instantly the bits of fish were attacked mercilessly. "Man, you just really love fish." Prompto shook his head a little as he sat back on the couch with his own. Needless the say the cat's fish was gone long before his own. It asked for more. "I dunno buddy, I don't want you to overeat." In the end though he also handed over three fries, and that seemed to satisfy the cat's desires for human food.

It might not have been outside his doorway, like he'd planned, but this was a mission success. The cat looked very happy there, washing its face with a paw. Yep. Total success.

Perhaps selfishly, Prompto decided to not let the cat back out into the wilds of Little Accordo. Not yet. Instead he settled in to attempt an actual completed playthrough of _Donkey Kong_ again (a feat he hadn't managed even as a child) and let the cat wander the apartment. For a little bit, his eyes half watched the cat wander around, occasionally meowing at things, but then he got sucked into trying to keep Donkey Kong alive and didn't think about anything else for a little while.

The last bright rays of sunset were filtering in through his blinds when he finally paused his game to rub his eyes. Something meowed up at him, and, startled, Prompto looked down to find that he had a heavy, warm weight in his lap. "Omigod. I have been blessed." Happy blue eyes gazed up at him, and little paws kneaded into his leg. Sure, there were also little needle claws in his skin, but it totally didn't even matter. Noctis' cat was on his lap, and it was bliss.

The game controller was set aside in favor of digging his hands into fur. The cat didn't run this time, instead it purred like a motor and stretched itself out over his lap giving him better access to, well, wherever Prompto wanted to put his hands at all. He put them almost everywhere, behind ears, massaging cheeks, under the chin, over the back, into that soft belly, and then, lastly, not wanting to risk toe bean touching just yet, his fingers slid down to the base of his tail. He scritched, and -- score! Up went the butt, right into the air. The ultimate sign of a happy kitty.

Prompto, honestly pretty damn happy himself, continued to love on the cat until the sun was completely down, and he, reluctantly, knew he had to let the cat go. It wasn't his cat. Noctis was probably home by now, and was probably waiting for his precious cat to return.

A couple of butt pats was all it took to send the cat flying from his lap and off to the door. It left as soon as the door was opened. It was only once he'd closed and locked the door again that Prompto realized that he could have taken the key at any time. He'd had the opportunity all of the people in Little Accordo wanted, and he hadn't even thought to take it.

Things continued on like normal for a little bit after that. The cat showed up for its daily treat, and lingered long enough to get some pets. It even rubbed along his legs now, which made Prompto's heart melt with even more cuteness. The key was still around its neck, and every day Prompto was becoming more and more aware that he could take it. He didn't think the cat would stop him. He could take it, march right up into Noctis' penthouse and claim the prize. But why?

Noctis was beautiful, there was no denying it, it was just a fact. Noctis was rich. Noctis was good, and yeah, he was a little weird. Prompto liked Noctis, for all their short interactions, which, in all honesty, were probably more numerous and more honest than anyone else had been since he'd come here. Prompto thought they might have been friends, if he'd needed to stay. If Noctis hadn't been rich. Prompto even thought that there was already the beginnings of a crush on his end. Plus, you know, he had a great fucking cat.

All of those things were things that Noctis had to offer him, and Prompto believed any relationship, not just a marriage, needed to be a two way street. Noctis had everything to offer. Prompto had nothing to offer in return, unless you counted too many freckles and a dead end job at MoogMart. So the key stayed where it was on the cat's neck. There were only a few weeks left until Noctis and his cat would leave, and then Noctis could find a proper partner from the place he belonged.

There were two weeks until Noctis' departure (but who was counting, right?) when Prompto woke up to a warm weight on his chest. He had no idea how the cat had gotten into his apartment, he certainly hadn't let it in, but there it was, curled up on his chest, fast asleep. He wiggled a little, aware of his bladder's call and the fact that he didn't actually want to disturb the cat, and instantly those eyes opened up. Its little cat mouth parted to give him a soft "Mrrp."

"Sorry, buddy, but I gotta get up."

This morning, it took more than a couple butt pats to get the cat to move. It had selected its spot, and had apparently decided to glue itself down right there. Even trying to shove it off his chest took a couple of tries before the cat went scurrying off the bed and Prompto climbed out of bed and off to the bathroom. Normally, because he lived alone, he didn't bother to shut the door, but the cat settled itself right in the middle of the doorway and stared at him. Prompto quickly shut the door in its face.

After he'd gone to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and dressed the cat followed him to the kitchen. "Right. I should let you out." Not that he still had any idea whatsoever how the cat had gotten in. He went and opened the front door, but the cat didn't go. It sat just out of his reach, eyes staring intensely up at his face. "No?" No. The cat didn't move. "Come on, buddy, Noctis is probably worried!" Nope. Not going. With a sigh, Prompto tried to grab the cat, but it danced out of his reach and bounded around the apartment with every attempt until, finally, he was forced to give up. "Fine! But don't come crying to me when your dad gets mad at you later."

The door was shut, and into the kitchen he went. The cat followed him. It jumped up onto the counter and continued its staring. "What?" Of course, the cat didn't answer, and Prompto was left with a staring cat while he made himself eggs and toast. It didn't even want the milk he offered it. It continued to be even more awkward when he made his way to the couch to watch Netflix while he ate and up went the cat right onto the coffee table. Its tail flicked back and forth in an irritated fashion.

"What?!" Prompto repeated, holding his plate of eggs closer to his chest. "You didn't want out. You didn't want milk. What do you want?"

"Mrrowww!"

"I don't know what that means." And. He was having a conversation with a cat. Great. He shoved some eggs in his mouth, and nearly burned his tongue.

While he ate, the cat sat very still and very straight, chin just every so slightly up in the air so that its neck was fully on display, key front and center. He could take it, if he just reached out and pulled the collar off.

"Mao!"

If he didn't know any better, he'd say the cat was actually trying to tempt him into taking it. What? Was this a test? _Was_ the cat trying to tempt him into trying to take it? He rolled his eyes at himself. Cats didn't do things like that. But then again. Prompto paused his eating as he thought back to what had been months ago now. The letter that Noctis had left to the community had said that his cat was going to choose. Crazy. It was totally fucking crazy. He'd thought that was just Noctis being weird. Everyone had. Yet here the cat was, practically presenting the key to him.

"Do you...do you want me to take that key?"

The cat blinked at him.

Prompto put his plate aside. "I'm gonna try to take it off, okay? Don't bite me?" Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out. When his fingers actually brushed against the collar, the cat purred loudly, and that emboldened him to slide off the couch and unhook it with both hands. The cat didn't try to run. The cat didn't try to bite him. The cat didn't even move. The cat just sat there. The cat only purred, even as the little buckle came undone, and the collar fell into his hands.

The moment it was in his hands, the cat bolted toward the door and began to meow constantly. It really had. Prompto couldn't believe it. It had wanted him to take the key.

This time, when he unlocked the door the cat ran out between his legs, tail high in the air before it sat down in the stairwell that led up to Noctis' penthouse and waited. "I'm coming," he hissed at it as he locked his own door behind him. Yet, after following the cat up the stairs and to Noctis' door, Prompto hesitated. Even with the key in his hands this felt weird and awkward. This wasn't his place. It was wrong to just walk on in. He knocked. No one answered. He tried again, and still nothing.

The cat purred and wound between his legs, and with a great sigh, Prompto fit the key into the lock. He could explain to Noctis later what had happened. He could explain that he no intention of forcing him into a marriage, but his cat just wouldn't leave him alone. Or maybe he'd just leave the key somewhere that Noctis could find it and go back to his apartment, and everything would be fine. It would be fine, right? He door opened, and he supposed he was about to find out.

"Hello?" He called into the penthouse. No one answered. "Noctis?" Nothing. Cautiously, he took a couple steps into the house, still talking, even as he tried to find a place to put the key. "I'm sorry I'm intruding--"

"Intruding?" Came Noctis' voice from right behind him. "No, Prompto. You're invited."

Prompto gasped, and turned around, but all he saw was the cat, its tail swishing back and forth. "Uh. Where. Are. You?" This was creepy. So totally creepy.

"Right here." The voice came from down. It came from the cat.

"Uhh..."

Soft laughter reached his ears. "Step back." Prompto definitely didn't need to be told twice. His feet danced back several steps, and then the cat stretched. It stretched, and then, too quickly for Prompto to follow, it changed. It was like a wave of black. At first it was a cat, but then it grew like a wave crashing to shore, and then, standing before him, was Noctis.

"What the fuck. What the fuck, man?!"

Prompto was panicking, wanting to run, but feeling like there was no where to run to. Noctis was just laughing at him. "I guess that's probably about as good of a reaction as I can expect." Noctis' hand came to push lightly on his shoulder. "Let's go sit. Okay?"

"...Okay?" It didn't feel like his own legs that were moving, but soon enough he was sitting back on a very plush couch. Noctis sat next to him. Their legs were pressed together. Not lightly touching, but full on pressed together, like there was no room for Noctis to sit anywhere else but as close to him as possible. Like this couch all by itself wasn't half as big as his living room.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fucked up? Like this is all just fucked up? What? Are you like...a magic cat or something?"

Noctis was laughing again. It wasn't really helping. "I mean. If you want to think of me as a magic cat right now? If that helps? Go for it. I'm way more than a magic cat though. Just saying."

"Then what are you?!"

There was a long pause that really wasn't helping either. "I dunno. We. Don't have a word for it? We're just separate. Closest is probably like...a god? Small g, before you freak out more."

A god. A god?! "Small g is really not helping me not freak out." Nothing was helping. Was he hyperventilating? He felt like he was hyperventilating. He wanted to get up and run, but he was pretty sure that wasn't actually an option. He hadn't noticed it before, but Noctis had a hand on his thigh. It was keeping him in place. It would feel nice, if he didn't feel like he was two seconds away from a mental breakdown.

"We're still people! Like we fuck up, we like Game of Thrones, we eat tacos, and sleep in through our alarms sometimes." Noctis paused. His next words were whispered. "We fall in love."

"Tell me about it?"

"What? Watching Game of Thrones? It's pretty normal. You know, you watch it on a T.V. You roll your eyes at all the sex and--"

"The falling in love."

"Oh." Noctis was quiet for a minute, but before Prompto could work up the nerve to say something else, he continued on. "It's kind of like a rom-com? Rich kid takes some time off from his normal stuff, moves into a poorer neighborhood just to prove he can hack it to his friend who fucking laughed at him when he suggested it. He meets a guy on the very first day. Seems nice. He thinks it might be nice here, but it's not long before he realizes that that first guy is the only one who sees him...as a person. Maybe he's a little in love even then, but he can't just say that. It's embarrassing!" The hand on his thigh tightened until it was just short of painful, and then it moved away completely.

"So he comes up with a plan. It'll work. It'll get the assholes off his back and lure the real prize in at the same time. Test them. Give them a key right to the door of his life, tell them they have to get it off his cat. He's the cat, of course, it wouldn't work otherwise. Plus, you can really tell a lot about a person by how they treat animals. It's perfect. Avoiding the assholes is easy, but...he doesn't come. The one he wants. It's heartbreaking. Does he hate him? Is he already married to someone else?"

"So you went to him?"

"Uh huh," Noctis hummed. "I couldn't seem too eager. Fish was a good excuse. Food is always a good excuse. It warmed my heart and gave me hope when you scolded me for not feeding...me." He laughed. "That was when I knew it was a lost cause. I knew it was love then." Noctis' head fell against his shoulder.

"You don't really know anything about me though."

"That's not true. I know you're kind, something my kind often loses when we get older. I know you love animals, and you don't rely on anyone. I know you're a nerd, in like, the best way possible. I know you're cute. I know," Noctis chuckled. "I know I like your hand on my ass."

Prompto blushed. Hard. Was it possible to die like this? "Dude! You were a cat!"

Noctis laughed just as hard as Prompto was blushing, his face turned into Prompto's shoulder. "Doesn't matter," he managed to get out between breaths. "I know what I'm about."

For a while they just sat there. Noctis' head on his shoulder. The urge to run was long gone. Instead, Prompto just felt drained. A god. A god was resting his head on his shoulder. A god said he was in love with him. A god had been the cat he'd been feeding for months.

"What now?"

"Well," Noctis mumbled. His fingers fiddled with the fabric of Prompto's shirt. "That depends. Is there any, like, any at all, possibility that you might be interested in me too?"

"Yeah," Prompto mumbled back. "More than a little." He wasn't sure that it was love. But crushes were different, and truth be told Prompto wasn't sure he'd ever actually been in love before. Not the kind of love that Noctis was talking about anyway. Cute people were everywhere, and it was easy to think about what more might be like with them, but Noctis was talking about life. Life together. Life was a long time. "I'm...not sure about marriage yet though."

"Good." Noctis' hand brushed against his cheek. "That just means you really aren't after my money, and that makes me happy." The hand at his cheek turned his face and then he was kissed. Noctis lips were warm, just like anyone else's. They were soft and cared for, but they were warm, they were lips, and they weren't like what he'd imagine a god's lips to feel like. It was comforting. It was nice. It was even nicer when Noctis' position on the couch worked against him and he almost slid off with a swear. Prompto laughed.

Still people, Noctis had said. They were still people, even though he could change into a cat and was who knew how old. Maybe it wasn't so inconceivable after all.

"Shut up!" Noctis said with a flush of embarrassment to his cheeks.

Prompto bit his lip as he tried to stop laughing. As much as he liked the laughter there was something else he wanted to do with his mouth. "Come back here," he said, a nervous fluttering in his chest. How would a god take being told what to do?

To his surprise, the god smiled, and did as he was told. He climbed into his lap, and took Prompto's face in both hands, before he leaned forward for another kiss. His lips were still warm, and so was his tongue, when kissing became something much more like making out. For all the panic of earlier, of watching a cat become a man, of hearing the man confess, it was worth all the bliss of right then. Their mouths against one another, Noctis' hands fisted in his shirt, his own hands, feeling bold drifted down to the ass Noctis had said he'd liked his hands on. He squeezed, and Noctis gasped into his mouth, followed by--

"Was that a mew?"

"Shut up!" Noctis hissed, lightly biting at his lip, as though that were a punishment. "I've been a cat a lot lately, okay?" He huffed, and then pulled back a little, only to settle against his shoulder again, his full weight resting against Prompto. He was heavier than he looked, Prompto thought, but the weight was comforting. He could almost fall asleep like that. "A date."

"What?"

"A date," Noctis repeated, a little louder. "That's what's next. Let me take you on a date, and not to the fish and chips place."

"Okay. Date. And then what?"

"I dunno," he whined. "I could stay longer, until you decide, but. I think you should just come with me. Even if we don't actually get married."

"Why?"

"I said it before, right? You're so kind. It's something we could use a reminder of. Where I come from. And. Well. You know. I think you're wasted here. I think you'd really...blossom there, and you'd help us grow too. You don't have to answer now, just. You know. Think about it."

"Okay." He said okay. He said he'd think about it, but even as he sat there he knew he'd end up going with Noctis. There was no going back from this, Prompto didn't think. He knew there were men that could be cats now. He knew that there were gods. He knew there was so much  _more_ out there, and it already made Little Accordo feel so very small. Not even a year ago Prompto had been positive that he would never leave, but now he knew he couldn't stay.

He'd leave, and he'd stay by Noctis' side forever. It was the most freeing feeling.

**Author's Note:**

> Tah dah! <3
> 
> It was Gladio, btw, who laughed at Noctis when he suggested going to living somewhere poorer.
> 
> I didn't post it up at the top, because I didn't want to spoil to the whole story, but this fic was based off of [this post on Tumblr](https://siniristiriita.tumblr.com/post/184616003264/story-idea-the-most-wanted-woman-in-town-has). I read it, liked it, and then went "This is a Promptis story." So where we are. *shrugs*
> 
> When I was writing this, I described it to BossGoose as "Loki!Noctis is trolling the humans." Following more Norse mythology and not Marvel character, btw. I applied a Norse god to each of them while writing this and it went as follows:  
> Noctis - Loki  
> Ignis - Odin  
> Gladio - Thor  
> Prompto - Baldr
> 
> I could...probably write several more one shots in this sort of universe, now that I've gotten going, but I probably won't. This is probably enough.


End file.
